NFL

Monday's buzz: Latest from the NFL

September 20 News and Notes

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush was helped off the field in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury Monday night.

Bush hurt himself after recovering his muffed punt with 6:58 remaining against the San Francisco 49ers. He was tended to by trainers and then tried to walk off the field favoring his right leg. He fell back to the turf and was worked on again before being helped off the field.

There was no immediate word on the injury. Bush was taken on a cart to the locker room shortly after the injury, getting hugs from his teammates. — AP

Saints CB Gay out with concussion — 10:38 p.m.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Randall Gay left Monday night's game against San Francisco after being knocked out with a concussion.

Gay hurt himself late in the first quarter, tackling 49ers receiver Josh Morgan near the sideline. The Saints said after halftime that Gay would not return. — AP

McCown replaced ineffective starting QB David Garrard in the fourth quarter, but Garrard had to come back in once McCown got hurt.

While the team has QB Brett Ratliff on the practice squad, the indication is they will leave him there.

So the team will have to look at the free-agent market or trade to replace McCown.

— Adam Caplan

Niners sign CB; other Monday night tidbits — 7:37 p.m.

The San Francisco 49ers, who are a little short at cornerback because of the injury to backup CB Will James (knee), signed CB Tramaine Brock off their practice squad prior to Monday night’s home game against the New Orleans Saints. To make room for Brock, the team waived LB Diyral Briggs.

The team will also be without starting C Eric Heitmann (fibula) for the second straight game.

The Saints will be without rookie RB Chris Ivory (knee) again. New Orleans also put first-round pick CB Patrick Robinson on their inactive list for the game.

— Adam Caplan

Dixon has meniscus damage — 6:01 p.m.

According to various reports, MRI results on Pittsburgh Steelers QB Dennis Dixon showed that he suffered a tear in his lateral meniscus if his left knee during Sunday’s win at the Tennessee Titans. Dixon will be getting a second opinion the injury on Tuesday. Dixon suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during his final season at the University of Oregon in 2007.

Earlier in the day, the team re-signed veteran QB Byron Leftwich, who was released on Saturday by the team. Leftwich suffered what’s believed to be a grade-2 MCL sprain during a preseason game on Sept. 2, so he still needs to prove the knee is sound.

As of now, the team only has one totally healthy quarterback on their 53-man roster, Charlie Batch.

"Andre has got a mild ankle sprain. He'll be day-to-day throughout the week,” Kubiak said Monday afternoon.

Fourth-year WR Jacoby Jones temporarily replaced Johnson until he returned mid-way through the fourth quarter.

Houston will return to practice on Wednesday to begin their preparations for Sunday’s home game against the Dallas Cowboys.

—Adam Caplan

Steelers re-sign veteran QB — 4:39 p.m.

As expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed veteran QB Byron Leftwich on Monday. Leftwich was released on Saturday.

Leftwich, an eight-year veteran, was acquired by the Steelers this past April in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a seventh-round draft pick. Leftwich spent the 2009 season with Tampa Bay after playing for the Steelers in 2008.

He began his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Jaguars (2003-06) before joining the Atlanta Falcons in 2007.

The Steelers made room on their roster for Leftwich by waiving first-year DT Steve McLendon, who was signed on Saturday.

Leftwich is now one of three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, but only one is healthy, Charlie Batch. Leftwich suffered a sprained knee during a preseason game and was listed on the injury report last week.

—Adam Caplan

Turner should be fine — 4:08 p.m.

Atlanta Falcons RB Michael Turner is scheduled to practice this week when the team returns to the field on Wednesday, according to head coach Mike Smith. Turner is expected to start this Sunday at the New Orleans Saints.

Turner got off to a great start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but left the game in the first half with a groin injury. Backup FB/RB Jason Snelling took over and did a great job en route to posting 186 total yards and three touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick signed a three-year, $8.25 million deal with Buffalo in March of 2009 which included roughly $3 million guaranteed. His $1.82 million base salary for 2009 was guaranteed. The rest of the guaranteed money came in the form of a $1.17 million signing bonus.

—Adam Caplan

Bradley and Kolb ready to go; RB not signed yet — 2:58 p.m.

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid confirmed Monday to reporters that starters QB Kevin Kolb (concussion) and MLB Stewart Bradley (concussion) are scheduled to practice this week and will play Sunday at the Jacksonville Jaguars unless they suffer a setback. Both players were cleared to practice and play over the past weekend.

In other injury news, starting DE Brandon Graham (shoulder) should be ok according to Reid. Graham had an MRI on Monday which showed he had either a strain or spasm in his shoulder.

Also of note, rookie RB Joique Bell has not been signed off the Buffalo Bills practice squad. Bell is flying to Philadelphia’s training complex to take a physical, according to his agent, Manvel Trice III.

— Adam Caplan

Eagles to sign RB — 1:14 p.m.

The Philadelphia Eagles appear poised to sign rookie RB Joique Bell off the Buffalo Bills practice squad, Bell said on his Twitter account. Bell said he was on his way to Philadelphia today.

The expected move to sign Bell is curious because Philadelphia already has three running backs on their 53-man roster. They also have rookie RB Martell Mallett on their practice squad. Head coach Andy Reid did not list any of his running backs as injured during his Monday press conference.

Bell (5-11, 220), who is known for his inside power running, was signed as an undrafted free-agent by Buffalo in late April. He was waived by Buffalo on Sept. 4, but signed with their practice squad the next day.

— Adam Caplan

Clausen to take over as starting QB — 12:56 p.m.

In no great surprise, Carolina Panthers rookie Jimmy Clausen will take over as the starting quarterback when the team takes on the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday, head coach John Fox confirmed to reporters on Monday.

Clausen, who was selected in the second-round, came off the bench in relief of struggling starter Matt Moore during the fourth quarter of yesterday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Moore threw three interceptions during the team’s Week One loss at the New York Giants. Moore has also been sacked eight times in the first two games.

Things may already be turning ugly in the Giants’ locker room, with the unhappy Brandon Jacobs in the middle of it.

Jacobs, who Tom Coughlin chewed out after he bounced a second-half run to the outside for a major loss instead of taking it straight through the hole, and then flung his helmet into the stands, will meet with management today and ask for a trade. Full story ...

The Pittsburgh Steelers only have two quarterbacks currently on their 53-man roster. Because of that, the team is scheduled to work out free agent QB Levi Brown early this week, a source confirmed.

Dennis Dixon, who started the first two games, suffered a sprained knee during Sunday’s victory at the Tennessee Titans. Charlie Batch, who replaced him, is the only healthy quarterback. Starter Ben Roethlisberger has two more games to serve on his four-game suspension. The team released QB Byron Leftwich on Saturday, but he’s expected to re-sign some time on Monday.

Brown, who was selected in the seventh-round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, also worked out for the New York Giants last week.

— Adam Caplan

Saints tweak practice squad before Monday night bout — 10:50 a.m.

The New Orleans Saints have made a few changes on their practice squad prior to tonight’s game at the San Francisco 49ers.

They signed seventh-round pick QB Sean Canfield to the practice squad and released FB Jed Collins from the practice squad.

Canfield was beaten out for a roster spot in the preseason by Chase Daniel. In fact, Daniel wound up beating out veteran QB Patrick Ramsey for the No. 2 job. New Orleans only has two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster.

— Adam Caplan

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